The New Board Game Thread (Newcomer Friendly)
- Thread starter AstroLad
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Hot damn, that extension is free on the Day of Wonders shop
Thanks for the heads up!
Olympos seems nice too, I'll look into it. I knew you guys would deliver!
Any other idea is welcome though.
joeyjoejoeshabadoo
Member
I got my copy of Startup Fever on Wednesday and was able to get it to the table at game night last night. While I liked the game I felt the rules, as written, for the event cards are crazy random. First off the cards themselves are brutal, for example, some cards will make a player lose 25% of their work force or allow a player to poach an employee for less than the normal poaching price. Brutal event cards are fine but in the rules any event card, unless specified on the card, can be played at any time. To top it off you get to replenish your hand at the end of every year (one complete go around the turn order track). So event cards are constantly flying around screwing other players and it's really hard to plan ahead, or at least after our first play through. We discussed house ruling it so you only get one card at the end of the year (max of four cards in your hand at any time). I think that will slow down some of the more insane event card play.
It's easy to learn, plays quickly, and has tons of player interaction. I'm hesitant to group it with Munchkin, but I do know I've played it with people that have never read a Discworld book and they have really liked it.
We played again last night and it was a blast. The different win conditions have everyone second-guessing everyone else's motives. I had the condition where if the draw deck runs out I win, yet I also inadvertently was able to accumulate money quickly, so the other players thought I was going for the money win. I also had the territory where I could discard a card a turn for $2 (which meant I could draw up an extra card at the end of each turn) so I kept playing cards and discarding cards to get money, which in turn helped me draw the deck out. I ended up winning.
**edits** fixed the typos (so much for posting from a tablet when half-asleep) and added some info from my last game.
I forget Joey are you on G+? B/c I know the designer (played GoT with him on Monday) and would be interested to run your concerns by him.
Warhammer is fantastic. But be careful because you can quickly find yourself over a thousand cards into the system if you get hooked like me.
Cargo Noir.
joeyjoejoeshabadoo
Member
I am. Yeah, it would be interesting to hear what he says.
Ice cold.
ZackieChan
Member
Have you played LOTR LCG? Is Warhammer better?
I have. I bought it and have since given it away to a friend. They are two very different beasts considering LoTR is a cooperative game. I've played LoTR maybe half a dozen times (most of which were solo) and I'm well up over 50 plays with WH and I just didn't enjoy the experience of LoTR nearly as much as Warhammer. For me I enjoy the direct confrontation and the card interaction between the zones you get with WH.
Also, my daughter enjoys playing WH (but not building decks) so that has given me an opportunity to build decks I think will work well against each other. I've never gotten into deck building before but with WH I've bought a mess of expansions and packs and I really enjoy tinkering with decks I've created for each faction. Then I can test them out playing against friends and family.
So for me there is no comparison.
Both my friend and I got the core set of the Game of Thrones LCG when Amazon had it on sale (I also had a Kindle offer for 5 off, which was nice). We're not really afraid of complex mechanics or odd things changing in differing sets. I hear it's supposed to be good fun and they're reprinting old chapter packs to have more copies of cards in them.
Haven't heard much about the other LCGs, but Game of Thrones seems to be the most unique, especially for 4 player. I'll let you know how it is when everyone collects back in our hometown for winter break.
Edit: There's also a great thread on BGG on the game's page that shows the best way to get into the game and explains which sets are worth buying when, etc. It's the top on the forums when you order them by hotness. I think the only thing that's left out is that you should only buy chapter packs that are in the new format of 3x every card, so the 60 card packs instead of the 40 card ones. I think the few newest cycles are in this format and the old ones are getting reprinted if I remember correctly.
Haven't heard much about the other LCGs, but Game of Thrones seems to be the most unique, especially for 4 player. I'll let you know how it is when everyone collects back in our hometown for winter break.
Edit: There's also a great thread on BGG on the game's page that shows the best way to get into the game and explains which sets are worth buying when, etc. It's the top on the forums when you order them by hotness. I think the only thing that's left out is that you should only buy chapter packs that are in the new format of 3x every card, so the 60 card packs instead of the 40 card ones. I think the few newest cycles are in this format and the old ones are getting reprinted if I remember correctly.
BattleMonkey
Member
So we did the coop version of Fortune of Glory. Was lot of fun working as a team, but the play time of the game greatly increases in coop. The game plays fairly quick in competitive style, but the coop game nearly tripled the play time of the game. Still was pretty fun, lot of pulp flavor in this and lot of hilarious situations come up because of random card drawings.
ZackieChan
Member
So is Warhammer solo or competitive? I assume from your description that it's not cooperative.
BattleMonkey
Member
warhammer is a two player competitive game.
UpperCaseN
Member
So I am absolutely, head over heels in love with the Gears of War board game. I am a fan of the video games and the transition to board game is superb. I read the manual probably 2 months ago but was never able to get it to the table until last night. With 4 players and the Emergence Hole (beginner) scenario, we bombed out really bad and pushed it aside. For the rest of the night I couldn't figure out where we went wrong because none of us really made any glaring mistakes or anything. The next morning, I fired up a solo game and within 30 seconds found out I missed a major rule; 4/5 of the emergence holes are supposed to start off sealed, I had left them opened. I texted the rest of the group, they let me know they were free, and 2, later 3, of us met up to try again.
We destroyed the beginner scenario with 2, and moved onto the next one, the China Shop, Berserker setup. We came just within grasp, hit the Berserker with the Hammer of Dawn once, but ended up getting wiped in the end. The 3rd person showed up, we tried the scenario again, and got to the same point before all dying. Even though we lost, we all had a blast strategizing and working together to manage the board and help each other out.
The game works a lot like Pandemic, where a deck determines what the enemies are doing, and even has that same tension where you really fear what is coming up next in the enemy action deck. Very action packed, plenty of OMG I can't believe that just happened moments. The minis are getting painted up asap and I cannot wait until playing again.
I found that rather than playing a solo board game, I would rather just spend my time to play a video game, but the Gears of War board game I would play by myself. So awesome.
We destroyed the beginner scenario with 2, and moved onto the next one, the China Shop, Berserker setup. We came just within grasp, hit the Berserker with the Hammer of Dawn once, but ended up getting wiped in the end. The 3rd person showed up, we tried the scenario again, and got to the same point before all dying. Even though we lost, we all had a blast strategizing and working together to manage the board and help each other out.
The game works a lot like Pandemic, where a deck determines what the enemies are doing, and even has that same tension where you really fear what is coming up next in the enemy action deck. Very action packed, plenty of OMG I can't believe that just happened moments. The minis are getting painted up asap and I cannot wait until playing again.
I found that rather than playing a solo board game, I would rather just spend my time to play a video game, but the Gears of War board game I would play by myself. So awesome.
I sat down in front of the game and read through the instructions at BGG but didn't get to play.
BattleMonkey
Member
Fortune and Glory is $49.99 today at coolstuff for those who missed the earlier sales.
Gyargh there are a lot of great games on this sale but I just did an order. Don't know if the deals themselves are great but I presume they're decent. Debating whether to run an order of:
-F&G
-Eminent Domain
-Catacombs expansion
-Some random $10 thing
Probably going to pass, but so tempting.
I think I can hold off on making another order this season.
Have a nice bundle of games coming from CSI soon, highlights being Eclipse (so crazy excited for this game!) and Game of Thrones 2nd Edition. Hopefully Eclipse is shipping sometime this week and the shipment will come in when my core group of myself and 3 friends are in town for the holidays.
Might try to rope two others into a game of AGoT sometime as it seems more fun with the full amount of players.
Eclipse... I just want to play with anyone and everyone. Seems like it scratches the same itches for me that TI3 does, but with some major differences (customizable ships!). Also seems like it's much simpler rules-wise than it appears to be.
Have a nice bundle of games coming from CSI soon, highlights being Eclipse (so crazy excited for this game!) and Game of Thrones 2nd Edition. Hopefully Eclipse is shipping sometime this week and the shipment will come in when my core group of myself and 3 friends are in town for the holidays.
Might try to rope two others into a game of AGoT sometime as it seems more fun with the full amount of players.
Eclipse... I just want to play with anyone and everyone. Seems like it scratches the same itches for me that TI3 does, but with some major differences (customizable ships!). Also seems like it's much simpler rules-wise than it appears to be.
That's because it is. The "tableaux" in front of each player looks intimidatingly dense in information, but it really isn't. They took inspiration from Through The Ages & streamlined it /just right/. I guess the cubes can be a little fiddly at first, but you get used to them really quickly. The tech slots & ship upgrade system is real obvious, as is the actions/upkeep cost system.
Love it, love it, love it. Wish my copy was here already.
You mean the little plastic ships? What's wrong with them?
Player sheet is /real/ easy once it's explained to you.
BattleMonkey
Member
Thought the game didn't come with any plastic ships, it was all just cardboard chits. The pics of plastic ships online where of some homebrew ship proxies I thought
Copy I played at BGG.Con had plastic ships. Three different molds (one for each type of fighter) + an orbital thingy that doesn't move, single solid colour.
I suspect you're looking at the tech tree & the ship upgrades. Yes, lots of chits because of the nature of the beast - gotta be enough to give out to people.
UpperCaseN
Member
So, after owning the game for many months, it seems like my circle of friends/family that play board games aren't into Through the Ages. I was really excited to get it, but I guess the time commitment is too much for my friends. I'm thinking about selling it off and getting something simpler. :-(
BattleMonkey
Member
Hate it when your gaming friends bring over for game night their absent minded GF's who are just not able to pay attention to a game, and it just drags everything down.
Steve Youngblood
Member
I've owned that game for years and still haven't gotten a chance to play it. Most of the people I know just aren't really that keen on something that's supposed to take a long time to play. I also own Sid Meier's Civilization but have yet to get a play in for that reason. Some day I'll actually plan a day around this. Some day...
Anyhoo, I haven't really gotten much gaming in lately, but for a Christmas gift to myself, I did pick up Quarriors and Claustrophobia as a random impulse.
Yup, word on TtA. And I consider myself a pretty hardcore gamer but I know I won't play it until I meet up with platy and he can teach it.
Good friends. Saved you from several hours of cube moving.
Yup, word on TtA. And I consider myself a pretty hardcore gamer but I know I won't play it until I meet up with platy and he can teach it.
That is why you need either a gaming group or attend a board gaming convention. No shortage of TtA players thereI like TtA, but not one I would choose to play again, I much prefer 18xx.
I love multiquote
Eclipse will be here tomorrow. So excited. No one to play it with for a week or so but... still, just having it in my hands.
I'm also recently trying to track down a copy of Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, but all the copies I can find online seem outrageously priced compared to what it sounds like it usually goes for. Hope it's not having a massive swing upward in price right when I decide to look for a copy.
I'm also recently trying to track down a copy of Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective, but all the copies I can find online seem outrageously priced compared to what it sounds like it usually goes for. Hope it's not having a massive swing upward in price right when I decide to look for a copy.
BomberMouse
Member
Carc update for iOS is out, can't wait until they add the catapult as IAP.
Also, made my first order with Cool Stuff inc. It was a PITA since my country is not supported on their web page, but their massive catalog made me pull the trigger. I had to place my order online, email the correct address then email some extra CC information. I ordered Cyclades, Fauna, Quoridor Mini, Risk: Legacy, Bunch of Lego Heroica games and Undermining.
Also, had some very light gaming recently:
Ponte del Diavolo: A nice little abstract with simple rules, pretty pieces and an oversized box. I'm glad I have it, but it's not a must have.
Lego Creationary: Played this game with my little sisters last weekend, fun, but not as good as it seemed originally. It takes way to long for someone to built anything, so we built in parallel, then we guessed what everyone else built
Elk Fest: A nice dexterity game for two. Extra points for being resilient in case the cat decides to jump on the table while we are playing.
Bottle Imp: Best trick taking game ever, especially with 3.
Also, made my first order with Cool Stuff inc. It was a PITA since my country is not supported on their web page, but their massive catalog made me pull the trigger. I had to place my order online, email the correct address then email some extra CC information. I ordered Cyclades, Fauna, Quoridor Mini, Risk: Legacy, Bunch of Lego Heroica games and Undermining.
Also, had some very light gaming recently:
Ponte del Diavolo: A nice little abstract with simple rules, pretty pieces and an oversized box. I'm glad I have it, but it's not a must have.
Lego Creationary: Played this game with my little sisters last weekend, fun, but not as good as it seemed originally. It takes way to long for someone to built anything, so we built in parallel, then we guessed what everyone else built
Elk Fest: A nice dexterity game for two. Extra points for being resilient in case the cat decides to jump on the table while we are playing.
Bottle Imp: Best trick taking game ever, especially with 3.
platypotamus
Member
Yup, word on TtA. And I consider myself a pretty hardcore gamer but I know I won't play it until I meet up with platy and he can teach it.
I'm planning on trying to sneak my way to GDC this year kind of in your neck of the woods...
Word. I'm sure Flynn will be there too. Probably a delegation from The Company heading up that I could join up with. Or we can just organize a wickyd game night.
I'd totally be down with a GDC board game night. Gotta plan around the parties tho -- maybe Friday? That's always dead.
EDIT:
Also: I got my own copy of Risk Legacy -- will be playing w/ my group soon.
Yes, learned it at BGG and bought it there too. I like it a lot but it's definitely a love-it-or-hate-it game.
Pros:
-Awesome art and nice bits as always with Fantasy Flight.
-SPORTS!
-Lots of fun dice-based and luck-based confrontations.
-Some light deck-building/hand-management. Lots of little team upgrades available if you like that stuff (which I do).
-Confrontation! But it's spread out enough that it's not annoying (basically each round you compete by putting your players on a series of "highlights" and you could very well be matched up against a different person on each one).
Cons:
-For a relatively light game, it takes longer than you'd expect. 120m is a reasonable amount for 3 with teaching. Probably add about 30m with a 4th.
-Not sure how great it is with 2.
-SPORTS! But not totally -- you're not fighting over yards and the like, it's more high level than that.
-Even though I've said "light" a few times now, it's definitely a game for experienced gamers. Once you play a couple times you'll have it 95% down (as usual per Fantasy Flight there will be corner cases you just have no clear answers too) but it's not for casuals.
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